We usually need to read a novel in order to identify its themes. However, what if the title and the blurb (a.k.a. jacket copy) could suggest potential themes? It’s not a stretch sometimes. In today’s edition of Theme: A Story’s Soul, we’ll explore how both items can reveal a great deal about the ideas and… Read more »
We’ve had an incredible year here at DIY MFA, with a lot on the horizon for 2015. We’ve expanded our team to include five new columnists and a podcast producer. We introduced DIY MFA radio and saw it jump to the top of the iTunes Arts section. We hosted a writing challenge and virtual writing retreat with… Read more »
I’m geekin’ out. Guys, science fiction and fantasy is bigger and better than ever. Check it out: Almost everybody knows at least something about Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Avatar, Ender’s Game… The list of TV and movies for us genre fans just keeps growing, and I couldn’t be happier. But some… Read more »
Hello and happy Thanksgiving! I’m so thankful that you are here! This podcast has been a true labor of love for me and I’m thrilled to share it with you. Today I want to tell you about something else that I am thankful for: the ability to read Shakespeare in the original English. Shakespeare’s work has made a… Read more »
Thanks for joining us! In this episode we’ll talk about books every writer should have in their writing library. In order to grow as a writer, you want to have several different categories of books in your arsenal that will encourage and instruct you in the craft. The key here is to build a collection of… Read more »
Giving examples of themes in literature isn’t too difficult. Love, good versus evil, loss of innocence – and the list goes on. However, what about defining the term “theme”? Or, picking out themes in your own work? That can be more of a challenge, but it’s one you don’t have to confront alone. Today I’m… Read more »
It’s November and for thousands of writers across the globe, that means one thing: National Novel Writing Month. Also known as NaNoWriMo, the month of November sends novelists into a frenzy of story crafting, their aim a 50,000 word draft in 30 days. Fingers fly across keyboards, and characters magically come to life on the… Read more »
My toddler (AKA Little Man) has loved books since he was a few days old. When he was a newborn, I remember holding him with one hand and my Kindle with the other. When he was five months old, he already knew when to turn the pages of his favorite book: Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric… Read more »
Whether it’s carving pumpkins, visiting haunted houses or planning your costume, the month of October is stuffed full of Halloween. Kids and adults alike get excited to dress up for trick or treating, parades and parties. In fact, Halloween is turning into a month-long celebration of everything spooky, creepy and fun. Here are five picture books we’ve… Read more »
At the very thought of “medical books” or books about diseases and other health afflictions, we often think of probing, unemotional texts filled with technical verbiage and doctors studying sick humans as if they were machines with a few broken gears. And maybe some are like that. But there are also medical narratives that put medicine into… Read more »
